Silly

In the midst of a busy day...proposing a bond deal, working all of the numbers, meeting with the mayor, driving 50 miles or more and traveling often - Bob always finds time for Izzy and his family. He is truly a diamond in the ruff. It is never "I am too tired Sandy or I don't feel good." Or "Sandy, I need some alone time." It is NEVER any of those things.
He is loyal to his work and his family and for that, I admire him. He is dedicated. A trooper. A hard worker and most importantly, a PHONEMONIAL dad.
While talking with my mom on the phone today, I couldn't help but laugh and captured these photos. She said - what are you laughing at - and it is these things - that keep you going and SMILING!! Props out to Mom and Dad V - for raising a great son with good morales and values, father, leader, mentor and best friend. You did a GREAT JOB, and for that, you should SMILE and BE PROUD!

The Dry Vac vs. The Chicken

So it is another week, and Bob is out of town for the evening. I always tend to challenge myself while he is away. Even when we did not have Izzy busy, I remember him going out of town and he would come home to a new bedroom arrangement or a new living room arrangement (all of the furniture would be completely moved around before he came home), the cabinets freshly varnished, a glass explosion in the oven from a non pyrex, the dog clipped unbelievably short - you name it, I rock it. I always pull something out of my sleeve. I guess you do these things to occupy the mind while you miss your significant other. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I can remember Betty Jean telling me stories about the things she used to do while Gus was out of town. They come home and go WHAT the...well you know what goes after that. Today's adventure was putting together a SHOP VAC by myself and cutting up a WHOLE chicken for the first time. I ordered a SHOP VAC for my five year anniversary at my company. While most people order a pin or a piece of jewelry, I order a vacuum cleaner. If you know me at all - I do not need to explain any further. I thoroughly enjoy wash machines, lawn mowers and vacuum cleaners : ) and a lemon zest or! So I come home, and rip the box open with the vac. There are a zillion pieces. While I think it is just going to be a PLUG AND PLAY - it is not that simple. There are screws - bolts, filters, accessories - HELLO - I have no clue where the screwdrivers are in this place! So I take an adventure and find the "DEWALT." Rats, I don't know how to use it and there is the wrong piece attached at the end. In one minute, I teach myself how to use it, switch the end and do it up - Izzy helped me - although she was a little scared of it. Next on the list is this CHICKEN. I went to crate and barrel today and they did not have the kitchen shears in stock. Rats! The lady told me to just use my knife and scissors. NOT! While I was there, I opened up the JOY OF COOKING cookbook to see what recipes they had and I opened it to the page on HOW TO CUT UP A WHOLE CHICKEN. If that is not a SIGN, I don't know what is - I need to learn how. While asking at least 15 people at work today - only 2 know how to cut up a whole chicken. REALLY??!! Most people just have th butcher chop it up. I think I will take advantage of that invitation to a personal lesson from my mom and dad because my mom is right - if I attempt it on my own, I will lose a hand!And, I really want to learn how!!

The Big City

While life is zooming around in the BIG CITY with hustle and bustle, people going to and from work making a living, eating yummy food and entertaining, Izzy is busy growing and learning.
Last week, Bob and I had our appointment with the nutritionist which lasted a total of maybe 20 minutes. With all of Izzy's allergies - egg, milk, soy and rice - I guess I was expecting a thorough, in-depth conversation of different tactics bob and I could take to an approach to a toddler with food allergies. Instead, we walked away with "print-outs" on the different allergies from the Internet. Jeez - I could of spent some time and "googled" these print-outs myself!
One of the things that I never realized until I was a mom, is that you have a mad "sixth sense" as to what your child is going through. You almost ALWAYS know what is going on with your child before others do. So it is - we switched Izzy to a formula that is more tailored to her needs as a toddler, not as a baby. So far, day 4 on the formula, she is taking to it well. Amen. We can test her in another 3 months to see if her milk allergies go away and take her off of the formula.
Meanwhile, she continues to eat chicken nuggets, fish sticks, sweet corn, apples, grapes, pickles, green beans, toast, crackers, sweet peas, carrots and drinks LOTS OF WATER. You name it - she is my fruit and vegetables girl - a girl after my own heart. I am ashamed to say that I don't cook alot of red meat in our household - so Izzy mainly eats chicken and fish and the entire family of all the vegetables and fruit.
On the funny side, Izzy's newest favorite thing to do is take OFF her pants. I'm not sure I know how to react to this. Other than to tell her to put her pants back on - but of course, she does not know how to do this on her own. I thought only boys did this - but I guess girls do too.
Secondly, she pulled out a bottle of nail polish from a bag on Valentine's Day and was waving it around the house - so Bob said to Izzy - that is "momma's booze." So she ran around the house with that bottle of nail polish continuously saying - MOMMAS BOOZE. I told Bob - JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE ON THE RECEIVING END!! And he said Sandy -you are not that quick witted on your feet. He's right.
At this age, she is so much fun. Isabella is communicating with us more, repeating words, creating sentences, playing harder and loving up on us. I love her daily words. In the morning before I go to work - it is a kiss, followed with the words GOOD DAY - BYE BYE MOMMY. In the evening, it is lots of HUGS, SIT (so she can hang out with me in the tall chair and help cook dinner), dragging out every and all toys (I love this part) and so much more!
Izzy and Bax send their love to ALL OF YOU XOXOXOXOXO

Izzy & Daddy Play Ball

Watch the video and look out for Bob nailing me in the head, the camera shaking and then him trying NOT to crack up laughing too much!