Christmas sing-a-long

Brendan sang in his first Christmas recital yesterday afternoon at KidSpace. He's been proudly practicing his songs, which included his favorites "Santa Claus is coming to town," "Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer," and "Jingle Bells," for a few weeks now. I love listening to him sing without any fear of embarrassment, which is definitely how I would sing even "Happy Birthday" these days!

The children were wonderful and sang several songs beautifully. Brendan eagerly watched for our response at the end of each song. (Ryan was less interested in it all.)

I did manage one photo from the recital!

I wish I had photos to share, but it was difficult to get good shots with the room setup. Some day, when we have a digital camcorder, we'll be able to share more of these moments that aren't the same in still photography.

Go Frogs!!

The Horned Frogs were smokin' hot in Tuesday's Poinsettia Bowl against Northern Illinois. The defense was awesome. Those guys were so fast and had no mercy on the Huskies. We loved watching! Even the offense, which always makes me nervous, turned in a good performance.

Check out these highlights from ESPN.

What to look forward to next season: the same defense, which is only graduating two seniors.

Other reasons why I was proud of my school while watching the game:

• LaDainian Tomlinson, who was interviewed just before halftime. He looked good, spoke intelligently. Thankfully, he wasn't sporting the gotee (is that what you call that thing) that his teammate and former NIU running back Michael Turner had. For those who didn't know, LT encouraged TCU alums who couldn't attend the bowl to buy tickets and donate them to his charity, which would then allow underprivileged children a chance to attend the game.
• Quarterback Jeff Ballard and offensive tackle Herb Taylor, graduating seniors. It was great to see they were awarded their degrees in a ceremony in San Diego because they missed the graduation ceremony in Fort Worth. Hey, not all jocks are idiots and some schools actually graduate athletes.
• Do I really need a reason?

Go FROGS!

Santa and straight hair

All I want for Christmas is straight hair. OK, at one point in my life, I'm sure I would have really told Santa that one wish. Nowadays, I don't mind the curls so much.

Still, when I went to get my haircut Saturday, my stylist convinced me to straighten my hair. She almost always asks me if she can, and usually I say no for lack of anywhere to go after the appointment. But since we had a night out with friends planned, I thought it would be fun.

So for those of you who have only known me with curly hair and for my family who surely remembers life before that, here's Laura with straight hair:

It's quite a bit longer when it's straight! Ken was a little freaked out by it, and the boys couldn't stop touching my hair that night and the next day. Brendan was sweetest of all when he said, "It looks beautiful." Nevertheless, he wanted to know when the curls would return.

And onto other Santa wishes ... Brendan has visited Santa three times in the past two weeks. The latest visit was in our neighborhood Sunday. Santa brought him the Dinoco Lightning McQueen (from Cars) and brought Ryan the car Hamm from the movie. (You have to think back to the credits to remember who Hamm is.) Both were thrilled, though Ryan missed out on the visit because he was napping.

Blogger is misbehaving at the moment. I'll post pictures from our Santa visits soon!

Frogs kick off bowl season

The next couple of weeks are bittersweet in college football. It's post-season time, where the best of the best battle it out in bowls all across the country. Yet it also means college football is ending yet another season. March Madness is exciting and all, but that's about all we look forward to until August.

Yes, bowl season has lost some of its luster now that bowl names change yearly to accommodate sponsors and 64 teams get invites. Very little is sacred these days. Still, we cheer on our teams because this is what it is all about (or so they say).

The Horned Frogs (10-2) will play Northern Illinois (7-5) in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia bowl on Tuesday. The Huskies feature the nation's leading rusher, Garrett Wolfe. However, TCU features the nation's fourth-ranked defense and hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher all season.

Game time: 8 p.m. (7 p.m. for the central zone folks)
TV: ESPN2

GO FROGS!!!

Where has the last week gone?

Can anyone tell me what's happened to the time? Oh my! In the interest of saving some, here's the latest from the Healy house.

• We've all been battling a vicious, nasty stomach virus since Ryan became sick at school last Tuesday. It coincided with Ken's trip to Atlanta, so that meant 1) I had to take care of two sick children by myself for 2 1/2 days and 2) Ken got sick in the hotel and had to fly home feeling miserable. Thankfully, I got the mildest case, which is good because I'm not sure I would have survived otherwise.
• The Polar Express, which is a wonderful book and a holiday movie, is much too intense for youngsters. We tried watching it with Brendan on Saturday night, and though he watched, he looked scared at times. Fifteen minutes into it, we turned it off. We'll try again in two years.
• Our Christmas shopping is almost complete! I tried very hard this year to make lists, stick to them, and shop early.
• Having said that, I will never again shop at Toys R Us. I always go with high hopes, and I leave disappointed. For such a huge toy store, they certainly don't carry much that is unique. It's all big brand-name toys, and I challenge anyone who says those are the best toys available. More importantly, though, I get overwhelmed just as easily as any child. Seeing all of the toys, it's so easy to say, "Oh, the boys must have this!" Seriously, how many cars/trucks/planes on wheels do these kids need?
• Last weekend we did manage to attend Ken's office children's Christmas party. What a hit. Brendan went right up and sat on Santa's lap when Santa called his name. Then he politely answered Santa's questions and received his gift. He loved getting Wingo, from the movie Cars, though he really wanted the "little" Wingo. I'm sure Santa will be back. Ryan was less enthusiastic, as most children his age were, but he was happy to get his MegaBlocks helicopter.
• For those of you who hear me complain about Michigan winters, you'll be happy to hear it is very mild here. We're talking a high of 50 nearly every day for the past week. The sun is even making appearances. And we have only had about three inches of snow. I'll take a nice snowfall on Christmas Eve or Day, but then the 50-degree weather is welcome to stay!
• So with a little more than week until Christmas, I still have so much to do: finish shopping for and decorating the playroom, clean out the rest of the basement and give many items to charity, shop for stocking stuffers, plan our holiday meals, and prepare the house for my parents' arrival on Christmas Eve. Oh, yes, and we'll need to wrap some presents!
• Before that craziness begins, though, we're going out for an adults-only dinner tomorrow night with our friends at Bravo. This is becoming our little holiday tradition with our other friends displaced to Michigan. Looking forward to it!

Weird things about me

OK, I'm succumbing to peer pressure. Stacey tagged me, and I see that Tyra already responded. So, here are six weird things about me ...

1. Give or take, I'm six feet tall. I don't happen to think that's weird at all, but judging from the reactions I get constantly, it must be weird. Or unusual. Or something like that. (For the record, I've never had issues with being tall. However, I do have issues with clothes for tall women. More stores are offering longer inseams, in particular J Crew and Gap. But often these stores don't offer every style in tall sizes. Also, stores that claim to cater to tall women, such as Tall Girl, assume you're either a size 8 or 10 just because you're tall and that you have no interest in current fashions. It's worse when you're pregnant!)
   
2. When I'm pregnant (which I am now), my hands develop a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome. My wrists hurt when I work at the computer. Now, my left thumb is almost always numb, which means my fingers will soon follow.
   
3. When I dress to run, I always tie my shoes twice. First, I tie them after I put them on. Then just before I get on the treadmill, which is exactly a 30-second walk from my bedroom, I tie them again. I do the same thing when I go outside to run. It's an odd quirk that's developed since living in Michigan.
   
4. I have weird nicknames for my children, such as "Bubby," "Booger Bear," and "Stinker." What in the world is endearing about Booger Bear? I have no idea, and I have no idea what possessed me to say it.
   
5. My hubbie says I always sniff my food before I eat it. If I really do, I don't notice this. That said, this morning I made him smell the milk to see if it was sour. I cannot stand a whiff of sour milk, and once I smell even a hint of it, my morning bowl of cereal is ruined (even if it has good milk). And I hate when my breakfast is ruined.
   
   *** Backing up to #3, it just dawned on me that I used to have similar quirks while swimming. I would put on my cap, adjust it a couple of times, then take my goggles off and on a couple of times before my race. Hmmm ...
   
6. You know those velour-like blankets that most mid-level motels have? I can't stand to touch them with my fingertips. It drives me crazy, especially if I have recently broken a fingernail. My roommates used to make fun of me at swim meets.

I have no one to tag! My hip blogging friends have already played the game. If you're reading along and you do blog but haven't told me, let me know and you'll be it!

Voting fun

Interested in how the coaches voted in the USA Today college football poll? You may be if you're at all following the "Who's No. 2?" debate.

USA Today has a cool little graphic online that lets you see how the votes came out. OK, so for me, this was about seeing who voted TCU back into the Top 25.

Kudos to Rocky Long of New Mexico, who believes the Frogs should be 18th. You gotta love Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, who was one of only two coaches who ranked TCU higher than Texas A&M. Dennis Francione, who gets no love in our household, put the Frogs at 25. Bob Stoops, who we do love, didn't put the Frogs in at all. Now, come on, Bobby. Throw some love to the local guys, OK?

Giving Thanks

Despite a lovely, five-day weekend, I didn't find much time to post anything on Thanksgiving. So here it goes ...

Tuesday we began celebrating with a Thanksgiving luncheon at the kids' school. All of the children except the youngest infant/toddlers participate, but I snagged Ryan from his class so he could eat with me and Brendan. Parents and teachers brought a variety of dishes and we gathered in the Artium for lunch. I discovered Brendan loves swedish meatballs -- not your typical Thanksgiving dish but certainly his favorite of the day. Ryan happily ate anything I gave him.

Thursday we enjoyed a lazy day at home while preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. The weather here has been freakishly warm -- in the 50s and nearing 60 for almost a week now. So picture this scene around lunchtime: All of the kids in the surrounding houses are outside playing together, with the fathers gathered around our neighbor's fishing boat. The wives, of course, were inside cooking and (in my case) cleaning. I admit, I enjoyed the quiet time to get things in order. (And I didn't hear my hubby complain!)

Around 4, the Newmans arrived for dinner. Terry and Christine have two little girls, 22 months and 9 months. We agreed to feed the kids early while we finished cooking dinner, so perhaps we'd have a chance of enjoying dinner. Our plan worked. We enjoyed 45 minutes at the dinner table with very few interruptions. I think we actually carried on a few conversations! (Any parents out there understand what I'm talking about here.) After a short break, we even sat down for dessert. All in all, the company, food and evening were great.

The rest of our holiday weekend was spent playing outside and decorating the house for Christmas. We avoided the malls, though I made one visit Sunday evening just before closing. It was a good time to go; no one was there!

I hope everyone else enjoyed Thanksgiving as much as we did. Now, for the most wonderful time of the year ...

(P.S. -- We did talk to Brendan about the meaning of Thanksgiving and told him the many reasons we are thankful. His response: "I'm thankful for Blankie." We asked if there was anything else? "No, just Blankie." OK, I'll give him until next year to mention at least one of his parents!)

Fish in the water

Last week, Brendan began his first swimming lessons without parental participation. He was bouncing-off-the-pool-bottom excited, so we quickly realized he'd need some play time in the pool away from lessons.

So Sunday I took the boys swimming. (One thing about our community, Canton, is that it is heavily geared toward families. The Summitt is a nice rec center that offers endless activities for the kids.) Brendan showed he's getting more comfortable in the water, which means he's also a little more daring. He put his face underwater, without prodding or deal-making from Mom, for several seconds on his own. I think we'll see him make significant strides during these lessons.

Ryan showed how comfortable he is, too. He was such a joy to watch in the pool. He had little interest in holding on to me, but preferred walking on his feet or his hands with his legs kicking behind him. He must have jumped in from the side at least a dozen times and smiled with every jump.

Needless to say, both boys had a blast! Hopefully, I can get some video in the future to share.

Addicted viewer

Thursday night TV has been one of my favorites for many, many years. I'm happy that with the recent departures of excellent shows, Thursday is still the night to get the kids to bed early and stake out the longer couch.

My hubbie and I always enjoy the Office, by far the funniest show on TV. It rarely disappoints, and last night's episode offered a twist in the end.

But the best for me is Grey's Anatomy. I've said it before, here on this blog, and I'll say it again: If you're not watching, you're missing one of the best shows ever on TV. It's so well-written. The actors do an amazing job. And every episode manages to connect with me somehow. Last night, it was watching that mother give birth when she knew her baby was dead. I cannot imagine ...

(Check out Grey Matter for the writers' blog!)

Will that be one nap or two?

Ryan is going through that oh-so-wonderful phase in which he doesn't want to take two naps but can't survive on one. I remember this phase with Brendan, though he seemed to move into the longer, single nap with more ease.

Yesterday, for example, we put Ryan down for a nap at 10:30. Clearly we couldn't wait any longer. He almost fell asleep on our way home from breakfast and errands. He didn't fuss one bit from his crib.

By 12:15, he was wide-awake, calling for Mom. Now, this means trouble. Going from 12:15 until 7 p.m. without another nap is nearly impossible, even though this 15-month-old will try to convince us otherwise. Sure enough, by 5:15, he could barely remain standing while the boys played in the leaves outside.

Brendan, on the other hand, is slowly waving naps goodbye. He goes through spurts, possibly linked to his growth spurts, in which he will nap for a solid week. But most of the time, he'll nap one day, then skip the next two days. Thankfully, after a year of practice, he's taking to "quiet time" in his bed on those napless days.

Frogs on TV this afternoon

The Horned Frogs play UNLV today at 3 p.m. EST. The game is on Versus. With a 5-2 record, they can become bowl-eligible with one more win. Of course, we want more than that! As the Mountain West Conference stands now, they're playing for second place.

Go FROGS!

Winter wonderland ... in November?

We came home last night to find our pumpkins on the porch lightly dusted with snow. Yes, snow! I've heard many Michiganders tell me it's not unheard of to have snow on Halloween, but we hadn't been so lucky. This was pretty close!

This morning, Brendan was delighted to watch large snowflakes fall outside. All traces of it are gone now, thanks to the sun and fairly warm ground. That's good, because the first week of November is a little too early for my winter wonderland.

Happy Halloween!

Brendan was thrilled Tuesday morning that Halloween was finally here. He'd been waiting a long time. Case in point: He's been wearing his Spiderman costume, which he first asked for last summer, nearly every night since Grammy bought it for him two weeks ago. He'd wear it more if we let him.

Brendan and Ryan clean out the first pumpkin. They both did a great job, even Ryan who enjoyed dumping the seeds into the bucket.

Brendan shows off our carved creations, plus one pumpkin that he decorated with markers.

Monday night we spent an hour carving pumpkins. This activity is still a little frustrating for Brendan, who isn't quite old enough to carve. But he enjoyed scraping the pumpkin guts and drawing on his own pumpkin from school.

Halloween morning, Brendan was eager to throw on his muscle-enhanced Spiderman costume, which he wore to school for the annual Halloween Parade, in which employees in the Wayne County building (where KidSpace is) hand out candy to all of the kids. The parade is followed by a class party. Brendan brought ghost- and pumpkin-shaped cookies that he and Grammy made during her visit.

Brendan gives us a Spiderman pose. He LOVED being a superhero.

Ryan was fascinated by all of the costumes and looked adorable dressed as a pumpkin.

Our lil pumpkin checks out his trick-or-treating stash.

Halloween evening, we made it home in time to get in a little trick-or-treating. Ryan only visited a few houses, as he needed to get to bed. Brendan joined the neighbors -- Morgan, Austin, and Karlyn -- to make the rounds. They were out for 90 minutes! Needless to say, Brendan was worn out (and cold) by the time they returned.

The boys trick-or-treat with the neighbors. From left: Karlyn, Ryan, Morgan, Spiderman (er, uh, Brendan), and Austin.

I luv Fort Worth

OK, I love Dallas, too, but Fort Worth wins me over the most. As expected, my girls' weekend in Texas did not disappoint.

I arrived Thursday night without incident and stayed at the Omni Mandalay Hotel in Las Colinas. That's one area of DFW that I'm not too familiar with, but Stacy and I enjoyed our short visit. The hotel was beautiful and made us feel as if we were in a resort, not in Las Colinas.

After battling the wind during a short run Friday morning, we ventured to NorthPark Center to do some shopping. Boy, did we ever. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch at Maggiano's Little Italy, then hit as many stores as possible. After nearly five hours of shopping (oh my goodness!), we left with purchases in hand and a need to fill up our bellies again.

With blue skies and mild temperatures, we opted to sit outside on Blue Goose's patio on Lower Greenville. It did not disappoint: queso, warm tortillas, chicken fajitas, and a virgin strawberry daiquiri for me.

Next up, we stocked up on snackies for the weekend at the Signature Kroger on Mockingbird. They had a jazz band playing inside. Enough said.

After picking up Sunshine at Love Field, we hit the road to Fort Worth and eagerly arrived at the Blackstone Courtyard Marriott downtown. Friends and many drinks were awaiting us in the newly-popular warehouse district, northwest of downtown. We spent the rest of the night at Ten, a cool martini bar, with other TCU swimming alums. In fact, they had to kick us out at 2 a.m. (By the way, I didn't drink, but I had a taste of Sunshine's wedding cake martini. That may be my drink of choice when I'm back in the saddle.)

Saturday: There are too many highlights to get through them all! We slept in, watched the TCU alumni swimming meet and helped the alums defeat the varsity, 5-0, in animal ball. (According to Richard, this was the first-ever shutout victory in the history of animal ball.)

The three of us quickly headed to Perrotti's for pizza and the BEST breadsticks on earth. We couldn't stop eating them! After stocking up on TCU gear at the bookstore and touring the campus (which is undergoing several changes), we decided it was nap time. I even got to lay poolside for an hour or so!

The day was capped off with TCU beating Wyoming in football. I love college football, especially when it's my team playing. I loved watching the game and experiencing the atmosphere. Several swimmer alums set up camp in the parking lot for rockin' tailgate, which we happily joined!

Sunday morning the girls joined my parents, sister Amy and I for breakfast at Esperanza's, the breakfast wing for Joe T. Garcia's. It did not disappoint. I even busted out and had a sausage/potato burrito. It was worth it!

Though the food was fabulous and I enjoyed seeing the old campus, the trip was mostly about spending time with two of my dearest friends, Stacy and Sunshine. We had such a fabulous time together and can hardly wait for the next get-together. (I'll post a pic soon!) And I'm also so appreciative of my husband, who didn't miss a beat while taking care of the boys solo for the weekend. What a great husband and father.

Until the next homecoming ...

Friendships in baseball

There's a good story in the Detroit Free Press today about the Tigers' wives and how they have become such good friends. It speaks volumes about women and the friendships they form, particularly when their spouses in are non-traditional occupations. (I have found this to be important while getting accustomed to my husband's new profession.)

What I found most interesting is that the Tigers provide babysitters in the stadium for all of the players' children so that the wives can enjoy the games. Just think what a world of difference it would make if all employers were so thoughtful and generous.

Texas, here I come

In four days, I'll be stepping off a plane into DFW airport. Texas. Ahh ... home at last!

I'm going back to celebrate my 10-year college reunion. This trip is most unusual because I will be solo, without husband and children. Though I have had a couple of girls' weekends since becoming a mother, they don't happen often enough!

What I'm looking forward to most in Texas:

• Spending a weekend with two of my best friends, Stacy and Sunshine
• Eating Mexican (or Tex-Mex) food
• Possibly and hopefully seeing my sister and niece
• Cheering on my Frogs
• Going out in the very cool and hip downtown Fort Worth
• Shopping! Without kids!
• Did I mention it'll be in the 70s?
• Seeing all of my TCU friends
• Telling and re-telling our many college stories, as if they happened yesterday
• Isn't being in the great state of Texas enough?

Home, at last

I just realized I hadn't posted this after our vacation. It's long, but enjoy!

~~~~~

We returned home early this week after a wonderful vacation. It would take me all week to tell each and every story from our vacation, so I'll try to keep it to the highlights.

The first day of driving was good. Very good. Ryan was a little harder to entertain, but both boys hung in there. We arrived in the Poconos in eastern Pennsylvania on Saturday night and spent the evening with Ken's Aunt Lily and Uncle Jack. They were delighted to entertain the children. (Brendan was equally thrilled since they had several toys around for their grandson.)

After an early breakfast, we hit the road Sunday morning for New Jersey, where we spent the day with Ken's Aunt Ellen and Uncle Jimmy. It was humid and hot, but the boys enjoyed the freedom to play outside and get out of their car seats.

Late that afternoon, we drove into Manhattan and found our way to the Shelburne Murray Hill. What a fantastic hotel in a beautiful, friendly neighborhood of Manhattan. Our first quest was to find some NYC pizza, and we did so easily a block away.

We lucked into this hotel compliments of Ken's cousin Tom, whose girlfriend Courtney works for Affinia, which owns the hotel. Are you still with me? It couldn't have been more perfect. We stretched out in the one-bedroom suite and admiringly stared out our window to see the Empire State Building just blocks away. Ahhh ...

Monday morning we woke and headed to the Empire State Building, stopping for an authentic New York bagel on the way. Brendan was a little reluncant about going outside on the observatory deck, but he finally did and was excited to see Central Park and the Statue of Liberty. (Ryan was less thrilled and only interested in eating!)

Next, we met Ken's cousin Allison and her daughter Kaitlyn, who will be 1 in November. We rode the subway, which was another big hit with Brendan. He was overjoyed when he heard the subway pulling into the station. We stopped at Central Park, and after a short stroll, settled for lunch outside of the Central Park Zoo. The zoo was small, but perfect for little ones whose attention span is also small.

After a short rest at the hotel, we took the boys to Little Italy for dinner. Our next day in the city was more low-key, beginning with a walk to Times Square. On the way, we stopped to look at the lion statues outside of the NYC Library. Unfortunately, Brendan fell right into a concrete bench and busted open his lip. That certainly changed everyone's mood ...

After much consoling and an ice pack from a paramedic, we made it Toys R Us in Times Square. Brendan finally smiled when he saw the giant, oversized toy displays. He also enjoyed a ride on their four-story Ferris wheel inside the store.

We wrapped up our visit with a hot dog and pizza while walking back to the hotel. We were sad to leave this wonderful city, but the beach was calling our name! So we headed to Manasquan, New Jersey.

Needless to say, the boys were thrilled to see the beach. They loved digging in the sand and running away from the waves. The weather was picture-perfect, adding to an already beautiful setting. The boys were also thrilled to have Grandma and Grandpa in the beach house next door. Brendan enjoyed being able to go back and forth from house to house. As the wedding weekend neared, more and more family members and friends arrived.

One of the highlights of our beach house was an outdoor shower on the back deck. Outdoor shower seems odd, you might say. This was a staple every day and made the boys so happy. They'd return from the beach and play in the enclosed shower for half an hour. What fun!

We ventured to Joanne and Ed's house the evening before the wedding. (Joanne and Ed are extended family and very good friends.) They were nice enough to host us in their beautiful and inviting home for a fabulous dinner.

I could go on and on listing everyone we saw and visited with, but that would take forever. Let's just say we really enjoyed visiting with everyone. The wedding ceremony was beautiful and Diana, the bride, looked perfect and happy all day long. The reception was a blast. The DJ did a fabulous job moving the party along, though this crowd didn't need much help.

We headed home Sunday afternoon after enjoying a Sunday brunch with everyone. We were determined to make the drive without stopping overnight, and we barely made it. The boys were good, but neither was thrilled about sleeping in their car seats.

All in all, it was a fabulous vacation!

Catching up

It's been so busy around here, but I am going to take a few minutes to catch up (with a Cliff's notes version, anyway).

Wednesday afternoon we said goodbye to Grammy and Aunt Jenn, who had visited us for a week from Oklahoma. They made the long drive (in good time -- amazing how much faster the drive is without two children!) in Grammy's new Expedition, so they had plenty of room to spread out.

They couldn't have come at a better time, because Ryan truly grew in the six days. He's using his sign for "more" so much these days. To him, it's interchangeable with "eat," but he's able to get his point across. Ryan is trying new words and sounds, which is always fun to hear. He's moving around easily these days and is a bit obsessed with climbing into chairs. (If only we can get him to stay seated in the chairs!)

Brendan proved once again that he is growing and maturing. He had a haircut and teeth-cleaning in one morning. Both activities would have led to meltdowns just a couple of years ago, but he handled each so well.

We took Grammy and Aunt Jenn back to the u-pick pumpkin patch, where both boys were mostly interested in the goats. Brendan fed them several times, and Ryan loved watching them. Ryan was also interested in the tractor during our hayride.

Tomorrow marks the start of the World Series. The Tigers will take on the St. Louis Cardinals, which I believe is a rematch of the '68 series. The city is thrilled, and we'll be cheering them on, though from the warmth of our home. It's supposed to be cold at the games! More soon ...

Go Tigers!

Fall in Michigan

Many folks in Michigan will tell you Fall is their favorite time of year. I can't completely agree. After all, fall often feels like a repeat of Spring. Rainy. Grey. Cold.

Then there are unseasonably warm Fall days that make the season enjoyable. We had such weather this past weekend. Cool mornings and evenings, warm afternoons in the 60s-70s. To enjoy it to its fullest, we engaged in the most Michigan-like Autumn activity we could think of: visiting a u-pick pumpkin patch and having donuts and cider.

Brendan and Ryan hang out with the mums, gourds, and pumpkins at Three Cedars Farm.

Three Cedars Farm is about 10 minutes from our house and makes for a picture-perfect visit. During our Sunday visit, the boys enjoyed meeting a family of goats, going for a hayride, and finding a pumpkin. Brendan was much more excited about navigating the patch than finding the pumpkin. I think next year he'll be ready to try the corn maze. After finding our prize pumpkin, we enjoyed homemade donuts and cider.

Brendan loads up a truckload of pumpkins to take home. OK, maybe that's a few too many!

Ugh ...

Speechless. Disappointed. What's happened with those Frogs? Did Patterson fail to mention that the season was only beginning when they beat Tech? At least we have that win to hang on to.

And, for what it's worth, they really shouldn't schedule anymore Thursday night games as long as Grey's Anatomy is on. I couldn't be the fan I wanted to be, somewhat because of the way the Frogs played, but also because Grey's is just so much more entertaining!

Frogs get back on track TONIGHT

OK, last week I wasn't anywhere near a computer to post after TCU's loss to BYU. That's all I think I'll say about it.

Tonight, the Frogs try to redeem themselves against Utah. The game's on Versus (now it's officially changed names from OLN) at 9 p.m. Eastern. Come on, no fairweather fans around here. Cheer 'em on!

Happy birthday, Ken!!

Great TV-watching night!

Tonight is such a great night for TV. The Office returns at 8:30 on NBC. My husband and I love that show. The characters are hilarious. Then Grey's Anatomy premieres at 9 p.m. on ABC. Can it get any better than that?

I watched the Grey's two-hour finale from last season last night. I don't know if I could possibly become more addicted to this show! If you aren't watching, you must.

Speaking of TV, I also caught the pilot of Studio 60, a new show on NBC. I thought it was smart and interesting. Not sure that I buy into Amanda Peet playing the network president. She's too young and beautiful to be in that position! But the show has a great cast and is good so far.

Now, soon, maybe I'll blog about something other than TCU and TV. (Did I mention that TCU is off this week and returns to action next Thursday against BYU? Gametime is 6 p.m. EST and the game will be on Versus, or the old OLN.)

Go FROGS!

We were thrilled to watch TCU defeat Texas Tech, 12-3, on Saturday night. The entire day was exciting for college football. But we were the most excited, watching the Frogs' defense completely silence Tech's offense. Now, if only they can keep this winning streak alive!

Even better, we had another Frog fan in the house. Ron visited for the evening after wrapping up a swimming conference in Dearborn. It didn't quite compare to the old days of watching college football on Kent Street, but Ron didn't seem to mind the frequent interruptions from Brendan and Ryan!

Catching up from the weekend

Last Saturday, the Horned Frogs easily defeated UC-Davis, which admittedly is a Division 1-AA school. I didn't catch any of the game online, but my football-loving, TCU-fanatic friend Sunshine tells me they looked pretty good.

Now it's on for the big test. Saturday will tell us if TCU is for real this season. TCU, ranked 20th, hosts No. 22 Texas Tech. The game is sold-out and will also be televised on Versus, which is the old OLN channel that is best known for showing nonstop coverage of the Tour de France. Game time: 5:30 p.m. Eastern.

On to more important matters ... Ryan is walking more and more, though he prefers crawling for those quick sprints across the room to keep up with his brother.

This past weekend, we took the boys to the Fall Festival in downtown Plymouth. The boys loved it (and so did we)! Ryan rode on his first carousel and kept saying "Whoo" as we went round and round. Brendan opted for the more grown-up Ferris wheel and was very "brave." We ate lots of good Fall Festival food, like delicious corn-on-the-cob, BBQ sandwiches, pizza, and popcorn.

TCU hosts UC-Davis

The Horned Frogs open at home against UC-Davis on Saturday at 7 p.m. Eastern. Hopefully, the players aren't looking ahead to next week's Texas Tech showdown, as I suspect most fans are.

No TV or radio for the Michigan fans, but we'll be checking online throughout the night!

Here I come!

Ryan decided today was the day to begin walking. Thankfully, he chose a day in which I was home with the boys because Brendan had a fever (from his immunizations and a cold) and Ryan was a little under the weather.

He has been building to this point, taking a step or two when encouraged or trying to reach something nearby. Today, he did it several times. He was rather proud of himself, though a little tired of it all by the end of the day.

Ryan takes a few steps toward Mom after his bath. Notice the constant drool coming from his mouth. He's teething, too. (Yes, that's the camera strap in the photo. I know, I know. It's hard encouraging, staging, and getting a photo alone!)

Proud parents

Many days, I wonder if I've erred as a parent. Temper tantrums, talking back, even simply getting my preschooler to cover his mouth while coughing ... will it ever get easier?

Then, on a day like yesterday, I see a glimpse of who my son is very capable of being, and it makes me very proud. Brendan visited the doctor's office yesterday for his 4-year checkup. He's never done well at visits, usually squirming and refusing to acknowledge the doctor.

Our most recent memories of his getting shots were 18 months ago when Brendan spent 6 days in the hospital for an extreme version of strep throat. My husband and I had flashbacks to Brendan kicking and screaming while the nurses tried taking blood or reinserting his IV, which Brendan pulled out a couple of times. He was a fighter.

Needless to say, we were a little nervous about the immunizations. Brendan, though, handled everything like a pro. He was patient, quiet, but spoke to the doctor when she asked him questions. He let her examine him, which had been a battle in the past. And when it came time for shots, he cooperated fully even after the sting of the first shot sent him crying.

In the day to day battles with our children, we sometimes wonder as parents if we're doing anything right. It's events like these that remind me something is working.

Bag of tricks

I plan to be fully armed when our journey across the northeast begins later this month. The enemy? Testy toddlers and cranky preschoolers. We'll be traveling 10 hours in the car -- each way -- as we head toward New Jersey for my hubby's cousin's wedding.

I have vowed to have every trick play up my sleeve to combat boredom, fighting, and that pleasant 4-year-old attitude. We'll sing songs, read books, listen to stories on CDs, and even watch a few DVDs. (Thankfully, our SUV has a DVD entertainment system in it!)

I'm in search of cool, inexpensive, fun travel toys that will entertain Brendan and Ryan. If you have any suggestions, please pass them along.

Right now, I am checking out the Madallie website. Many of its items are expensive, considering I don't want to drop 100 bucks on toys for a trip. Still, it has some good ideas that I can steal and reinvent on my own.

TCU wins and other rantings

The Horned Frogs defeated Baylor last night. Woo hoo! I must admit, no one in the house was too happy at halftime. Gary Patterson isn't known for his blow-out wins. In fact, he tends to keep us guessing and on the edge of our seats. But we're thrilled they won and hope they'll hand Texas Tech the same fate in two weeks. Next up: UC-Davis at home.

We spent Labor Day weekend in Columbus, Ohio, visiting my childhood friend Suzanne and her husband Doug. The boys were thoroughly entertained by their puppy, Jillian. Even Ryan, who had previously shown some fear of dogs, warmed up to her.

I promise Suzanne isn't pinching Ryan! He's just ready for his morning nap.

The purpose of the trip was to attend the Ohio State-Northern Illinois game. What an atmosphere for college football in Columbus. This is the city. Period. Ken and I enjoyed it all, even though it was in the low 60s at game time. We also enjoyed Donato's Pizza. Why can't they expand into Michigan?!?

Finally, a couple of pictures of the boys. Aunt Jenn and Uncle Kenny gave Brendan a big wheel for his birthday. He's now a pro on it. Almost every evening he takes it for a spin around the block. Today, he repeatedly drove it into piles of dirt on the side of the elementary school's parking lot. Boys ...

Brendan rides his big wheel in front of our house. He really picks up speed!

Ryan turned 13 months on Saturday. He's getting more and more daring with his standing, and even took a small step to Mom on Monday morning!

Frogs on TV

A reminder for all of you Horned Frogs, TCU fans, or Frog wannabes: TCU plays at Baylor on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Eastern. This game is being broadcast nationally on Fox Sports Net.

Want to prepare for the game? Other than going for a 4-mile run this weekend and throwing around the football, here's all the information you need about TCU, the game, and the old rivarly that ended when politics led to Baylor being swept into the Big 12.

Go FROGS!

It's hard to say goodbye ...

If you live in Michigan, you know that summers are the best time of year. You also know they are highly unpredictable.

Most summers, as best as I can tell, are mild. The temperature may hit 90 a couple of times, but it'll hover around 80 most days. The humidity can be suffocating, but the evenings can be cool and lovely.

But, must we say goodbye already? My main complaint is that summers are too darn short! Here it is, Sept. 1, and I've already been robbed of the last two weeks. Clouds. Gray. Rain. Highs in the low 70s. Days when the Real Feel temperature is cooler than the actual temperature. That shouldn't happen in the summer!

Mind you, summer didn't begin in May. It's debatable whether it even appeared in June. Honestly, there are about 60 summer days in Michigan. You may get lucky with a gorgeous September, but hasn't everyone already packed away summer by then?

I know my family and friends in Texas and Oklahoma would love to experience a summer this mild. But would you also take 6-7 months of cold, grey, rainy, cloudy weather, often snowy weather in between? Sigh.

It's too hard to say goodbye ...

Updates: Montessori and signing

We're into week 2 of the Montessori Preschool. So far, it seems to be going well. I was most impressed after talking to Brendan's teacher, Miss Terrie, on Friday. She's been in this business for more than 20 years. She said she resisted the Montessori training in the beginning, almost offended that her way of teaching children could be wrong. Now, she believes whole-heartedly that this is the best way to teach children.

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As for teaching Ryan sign language, I realized last week that he is understanding and responding to signs, though he isn't using them yet. I was holding him at home this weekend and asked him if he wanted to eat, while doing the sign. When I pulled my hand away from my mouth, he grabbed and put it right back. He gladly ate after that. Also, he has taken to clapping when I ask and sign if he wants more.

And one more update: Ryan did the sign for more tonight!

Grey's fan

If you aren't watching Grey's Anatomy, then you are missing one of the best series on television. Period.

I've been hooked since the first season began. ABC is advertising that season 3 will begin Thursday, Sept. 21 at 9 p.m. eastern. You must tune in!

Now, if you are already a fan and appreciate how well-written this show is, you'll love the writers' blog. It gives more insight into each episode, from the writers, and sometimes points out little details that you miss the first time you see an episode.

A lesson in newspaper history

For those of you who have heard bits and pieces of what's going on with Detroit's two daily newspapers, including my employer the Detroit Free Press, you may be interested to read this editorial. It gives a better history of what happened a year ago when Knight Ridder sold the Free Press to Gannett, and all that has happened since.

Fascinating story

Is anyone else out there fascinated by Jill Carroll's story? If you aren't reading, you can check it out at the Detroit Free Press or Monitor's website.

Carroll is the freelance journalist who was kidnapped while writing for the Monitor in Iraq. She's recounting her experience in an 11-part story. I have been addicted to her every account. Her experience is unfathomable to me.

Perhaps what draws me in even more is learning about her kidnappers and Iraq. The war and Iraq often dominate front pages and newscasts, but it's interesting to hear a story from a different perspective. Jill gives us insight to a country that dominates the news but is still so distant and foreign to most of us.

Signing to happiness

I've always been fascinated with the idea of teaching babies sign language to give them a better communication tool (other than crying) before using words. I thought I'd teach Brendan, but that never happened. I was starting a new job in a new city and could barely remember to read the next month from "What to Expect the First Year."

This time, I have attempted teaching Ryan a couple of basic signs, such as food and more. He definitely understands there's some connection between those movements and food. Then again, his entire world is about food as he eats nonstop. I have yet to see him sign back to me.

Some studies suggest babies who use sign language are happier because they are able to communicate at an earlier age, so I'll keep trying. I'll report back as we learn more.

First steps

Ryan took his first two steps last night while at Music in the Park in downtown Plymouth. We've noticed he's been much bolder lately, standing without any support nearby. He was doing this throughout the picnic dinner and concert.

Then he took a couple of steps as he reached for the stroller, which he likes to play with. It took me a moment to process what I had seen! Of course, he acted as if he's been doing it for months.

Montessori preschool

Last night Ken and I met with Brendan's teachers to discuss the new Montessori format. After 15-plus years serving as a day care, KidSpace is now offering Montessori for the preschool classes. This will be quite an adjustment, particularly because Brendan was looking forward to turning 4 and moving to the Pre-K class.

Instead, he'll move to another room but will be join children ages 2 1/2-6. Ken and I hope the self-paced format will serve Brendan well. We know that he often becomes so engrossed in an activity that it is hard for him to transition. (Isn't that normal for his age?) Hopefully, the Montessori format will give him the choice to continue working on his activity until he's ready to move on.

I am also hopeful that the idea of becoming a teacher to younger children will help shape Brendan as a big brother. OK, so maybe that won't end the fighting down the road. Still, he is at his best when given responsibility and made to feel as if he has an important role in a task.

The Big 4!

Brendan had such a wonderful birthday. He shook off a puffy eye early in the morning, and recovered with a fun school day and cupcakes with his friends. We left a little early from downtown Detroit and visited our favorite summertime restaurant, Doyle's, for alfresco dining. (The weather was perfect -- mid 80s, blue skies, litte wind.)

Then we walked to our favorite summertime ice cream stand, Dairy King. The evening was followed with presents in our backyard at home. Brendan was thrilled to get "my very own camera." (You can see his debut photographs soon.)

Brendan shows off his "I'm 4" medal, as he called it.

Brendan makes a funny face while wearing his school's birthday hat.

We all enjoyed celebrating Brendan's day, especially Ryan who was thrilled to eat a cupcake and ice cream in the same day!

Happy Birthday, Brendan!

Today we wish Brendan a happy 4th birthday! On Sunday, we gathered our closest Michigan friends at the Colony Swim Club to celebrate the occasion. We swam, dug in the sand, kicked around beach balls, and chowed on burgers and cake.

Sunday night when we played our favorite-part-of-the-day game at bedtime, Brendan said cake and presents were his favorites. I can see why! His wonderful friends gave him board games (Mouse Trap and Operation Shrek), Batman and Superman action figures, and very cool helicopters. Needless to say, he was content playing with his new toys the rest of the day.

I'm particularly excited about the board games. We played many while growing up and still do when the family is together for holidays or special events. (While in Oklahoma City, I revisted one of my childhood favorites, Connect Four, with Brendan.) Games and puzzles are also a great winding-down activity before bedtime.

Warning: Tantrums ahead

Last night it happened. Ryan threw his first temper tantrum.

Of course, ask me when Brendan first fell to the floor crying or screaming, and I wouldn't be able to pinpoint the date. (I can list the last 10, though.) With the first child, the change from baby to toddler isn't as obvious. Perhaps it is to the rest of the world, but to the parent, it's much easier to relish those days holding the sweet, dependent baby and smiling at every little thing he does, even if it includes screaming to get his way. It's a cute scream, naturally.

Now, a more seasoned parent, I know that Ryan was not crying simply because he was sad. He wanted his way. I couldn't help but chuckle as he hung his head down to the ground and cried. Then he laid on the floor, crying, occasionally looking up to see if I was still tuned in to his antics. With Brendan, I would have been. With Ryan, I knew better. And within a minute, he stopped crying and began playing with nearby toys.

Farewell, baby. Hello, toddler. More tantrums to come.

A day in the life of Ryan ...

• Crawls quickly from point-to-point, then pulls up and cruises around.
• Practices standing on his own, when he's in the mood.
• Eats, eats, eats. Some of his favorite foods: bananas, grapes, strawberries, meatballs, Cheerios and Rice Krispies.
• Tries to resist Mom's insistence that he give up formula, which he was never fond of, and switch to whole milk.
• Screams to communicate with his brother that these toys are his!
• Goes down a little slide, and successfully climbs back up.
• Kicks his feet while swimming. He loves the water.
• Splashes anyone and everyone in the bathroom as he bathes.
• Reads books. His favorites: Beautiful Babies, The Foot Book, Good Morning.
• Constantly crawls after Mom when she walks by, all the while saying, "Momma!"
• Laughs uncontrollably when his brother entertains him.
• Opens the cabinets of his play kitchen and pulls out everything.
• Tirelessly attempts to play with the bathroom drawers.
• Waves to Dad, brother, or even the house to say hello or goodbye. Occasionally, he'll say, "Hi."

Happy Birthday, Ryan!

Ryan celebrated his first birthday while we visited Grammy and Papa in Oklahoma, and then again while at Grandma and Grandpa Healy's house in Texas.

The party in Oklahoma was quite the celebration! Our immediate family attended -- grandparents, aunts, uncles, and his cousin. But we also had several of my aunts and uncles from Woodward, Ponca City and Taloga.

Just as Brendan did at his first birthday, Ryan took no interest in his cake, which came from our favorite Dallas bakery, Casa Linda.

It wasn't until we had a smaller celebration on his actual birthdate at Grandma and Grandpa's house in Texas that he at least dug into the frosting. Still, he didn't care to eat it, which is odd considering he eats everything in sight these days!

Bogged down travelers

With summer comes weekend getaways and longer vacations. My question to fellow parents: Have you found a way to travel lightly or to avoid carrying on four different bags? I haven't mastered this yet, particularly after Ryan's birth.

It seems you need a diaper bag for the accidents waiting to happen, an endless supply of snacks, and formula. Then there's the toy bag that is weighted down with the 10 extra metal Thomas take-along trains that your son sneaks in, plus the books that never feel heavy until you put 5 in a bag.

Maybe I'll carry a purse or other carry-on bag for my own reading and relaxation. (Hmmm, I always have at least one dream on vacation.) Finally, my husband insists on packing his own backpack that has, well, I have yet to determine what's really in it.

No matter what we pack, it never fails: The children want something other than the 10 snacks we packed, the toys barely make it past take-off before the kids get bored, and the flight always feels longer than it really is.

But it's (almost) always worth it in the end.

Sweet baby

My sister Amy sent me some photos she recently discovered on her digital camera from almost a year ago, when Ryan was born. Children really do change so much in the first few years, but the difference in the first year is much more significant than any other.

Ryan has gone from being my not-so-little 9-pound newborn who was completely dependent upon me to a crawling, cruising, grunting, clapping, laughing, smiling, noise-making, non-stop eating 1-year-old who is quite determined to feed himself with a spoon. Seeing these pictures from his first days really touches my heart.

My own radio station

Lately I've been listening to my favorite tunes and undiscovered ones (at least to me) on Pandora. If you haven't checked it out, you must! You create your own radio station based around your favorite music. Mine started with U2, my all-time favorite band, but has grown to include so much more.

Pandora started from a classification project in which songs' characteristics have been analyzed and classified. Once you give Pandora a favorite song or band, it finds songs that have similar characteristics and plays them for you.

What I love about Pandora is that as I have tuned my station to include more favorites, it has naturally selected songs that I had long forgotten but equally enjoy. I'm listening to my old standbys -- Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Blues Traveler, Matthew Sweet, Jewel, Coldplay, Train, Jack Johnson, Barenaked Ladies, R.E.M., (live), Dinosaur Jr. -- plus newer songs from Pearl Jam. I've also discovered Monte Montgomery, who admittedly caught my eye because his live album was recorded at the old Caravan of Dreams in Fort Worth.

Announcing another blogger

The temptation has been too great. Finally, I'm joining countless others who spend their days blogging away online as if the world is waiting on your every word! In my case, it's the grandparents and aunts and uncles, all far away, who will eagerly check my blog in hopes I've posted a photo of their grandsons and nephews.