Snow in Them 'Dar Hills

You don't see the vineyards dusted with snow very often around Sonoma County -

this can't be good for this year's grapes...

But, it was a great afternoon playing in the snow--just 25 minutes away from our house. 

The Doodle has never been to the snow before.

He Loved It!  And it gave him a real reason to wear gloves.

He played and ran and even threw snow balls at his dad and brother.

Jimmy and Jim went the day before and scouted out some cool places to go--

they went 4-wheeling whereas, I DID NOT.The Doodle and I opted out of any verticle adventures for obvious reasons but the main reason being I kept having visions of being featured in the Around the Empire and Obituary of the Press Democrat.

So we played it safe and had some snacks and got hailed on.

A nice holiday weekend and I'm sad that it's over and it's back to work.

Date Night

While everyone was scrambling last night to catch the opening night showing of the new Twilight Movie, we went and saw The Blind Side. A perfect and fabulous family movie based on a true story.

Sandra Bullock was great--one of her best performances.

Our date night turned family night because of our ten year old...but I'm not complaining. I love that Jimmy wants to spend time with us now and is interested in some of the same things we are and I know it won't be long before that all goes away. And I'm glad he saw it because of the incredible message it sent. It was a movie that made us laugh and cry and we talked about it the whole way home.

It was everything I love in a movie including and especially TIM MCGRAW! It was inspiring, sweet and well written.

Grammy stayed home and watched the Doodle. I got the times a little screwed up so we had an hour to burn--we went to the coffee shop next door and had mochas and white chocolate cheese cake. And it was nice and relaxing.

Jim slept through the previews and I was afraid I was going to have to get my elbow ready to jab him when he started to snore but I guess the mocha kicked in and he was able to stay awake for the entire show. He liked the movie too.

Cousins, Nephews and Uncles

We had visitors today and Jimmy couldn't have been happier.

Two of Jim's brothers and his nephew and great nephews came over to ride dirt bikes, play basketball and have a bbq. The Doodle loved being outside watching it all and being a part of the excitement. I'm not sure what it is about visitors but it makes the Doodle poop. He did three grumpers today. I'm going to take that he must be comfortable around them...

Our Little Doodle

Colin

Jimmy

Ryan

Ryan and Corey


Tim and Jim

So there was riding and playing and eating and a lot of male bonding taking place here today. Where we live, kind of out in the country I guess you might say, we don't have many neighbors with kids Jimmy's age for him to play with. The only time he gets a play date is if we bring someone home after school.

So this was a nice way to spend a Sunday. The brothers all live pretty close and he likes it when he sees them even though it's not that often because of everyone's busy lives.

Where does the time really go?

The Family that Eats Together

OK, so you might not be able to tell in this particular picture because of the noticable Pusses on the Family's faces but our family is really loving our new little eating area. Maybe they're just a little irritated that I jumped up to grab the camera or Hamburger Helper isn't their favorite thing to eat in the whole wide world, which I can't imagine why because it does just fine by itself. We've been eating all of our dinners together around a table instead of on the couch or sitting side-by-side at our island/bar.

And in answer to your burning question, Yes the Doodle most certainly is wearing a red cape. Im wearing one too but you can't see it because I'm taking the picture.

Last night Grammy and Papa joined us as for a farewell dinner before their 3 week trip to Greece and Turkey and some other far away places. They can now join us at our table because I just bought 5 chairs to go around the table. Uhm, yes, at a garage sale. Really cute Mexican pine ladder back type of chairs and to find out how much I paid, you'll have to read my other blog, "TAH DAH" :

http://tah-da.blogspot.com/ or just click on the chandelier to the right of this blog.

Before anyone starts eating, we have a new tradition to say Grace or a blessing and you can say anything you want as long as there is no profanity and you remember to be thankful for something that day. We go around the table and take turns. The Doodle, as impatient as he is, even puts his little hands together like he's praying.

Speaking of prayers...I think they are working. I hate to even bring it up or even type it because I'm so superstitious about jinxing it, but besides some very strange shakes and screams in the middle of the night, the Doodle has been virtually seizure free for over two weeks. So thank you to everyone who continues to pray for the Doodle and send good wishes our way. It's working!

Bennie and the Jets

The Doodle has been walking around the house babbling a little bit. No more actual words since last Friday but he's doing a "bub-bub-bub" that's pretty darn cute. I think it makes the screaming a little easier to tolerate when he breaks it up with some "bub-bubs".He put these Elton glasses on tonight and with the "bub-bubs" it made me think of this song...

"Bub-Bub-Bub-Bub Bennie and the Jets".

Now if I can just find him some electric boots and a mohair suit we'd be set.

I could never understand the words to this song. It came out in 1974 when I was just six. For YEARS I've been singing them wrong so I just googled the lyrics. You will be amazed Bloggies at what this Cat is actually saying and I'm still scratching my head at what he's singing about:

Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight's hitting something
That's been known to change the weather
We'll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You're gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound
chorus
Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
But they're so spaced out, B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie she's really keen
She's got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they're blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who's right and who's wrong

So now that I've disturbed you with Elton's lyrics I might mention that I refinished a dining room table I've had sitting in the garage for four years. It was in pieces and terrible condition. I couldn't give it away at our last garage sale. So when I say refinish, I'm using that term loosely. I slapped some black paint on it and hit it with the sander. Instant shabby chic. Go ahead kids, color on it, scrape it, scratch it. It just doesn't matter. The more rustic the better. I put it in our kitchen area, like a breakfast nook. I got tired of sitting at the bar, side by side, with our family to eat dinner. It felt a little disconnected. We have a formal dining room but the table is too long, it doesn't feel cozy in there either. We only eat in there on special occasions. So tonight we broke bread (I love saying that) at the round shabby table and it was really nice and Jim actually kicked it off with the saying of Grace and we had a collaborative meeting and will take turns saying it each night. Our new family tradition. Jimmy and Doodle Bug love it. We're going to eat dinner here as much as possible, I just need some chairs...and we're going to turn the tv off at dinner and be a family damn it. I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner.

Odd, But True

I love this picture of Jim, he's still so handsome to me after all of these years...soul patch and all.

Some of our best times as a family happen on Sunday nights when we take the garbage down to the end of the road. It's a complete family affair.

Jimmy brings his bike or skateboard and the Doodle is usually in his pink car or Radio Flyer Wagon. Our crazy cat Coco even makes the jaunt. She walks right along side of us as if she's a dog.

One of the Doodle's new, favorite things in the whole wide world to do besides pushing his multitude of carts around is to go for a ride in the Jeep Wrangler. He loves sitting on his dad's lap and driving. We take the Jeep out around the vineyard and he loves looking at the horses next door.

The only bummer about taking him for a ride is that when it's time to come in, he screams. He does the sign with his hands for "more" while he's crying, so it's a Catch 22 whether or not to take him. He gets such joy out of it, but then gets so upset when it's time to stop. The boy does not like to hear No, Stop, Wait or No More. I know most kids don't like to hear no, but this is different. Because I can, I'm going to chalk it up to to just one more gift autism has given us...I'm going to have tee shirts and bumper stickers made that say:

AUTISM: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

It's the gift of psychotic impatience. Jimmy, at this age didn't like being told no either, but he was able to maintain a level of dignity with his impatience. He was able to eventually learn the value and art of waiting and didn't freak out or go postal like the Doodle does. I know, I know, different kid, different personality. Even so, it doesn't make it any easier.

p.s. What does it mean that I dreamt about short buses and mean bus drivers last night.

Garbage...A Family Affair

We take spending quality family time here in Doodleville very seriously. Sunday night is garbage night where we walk the garbage cans down to the end of the driveway. The Doodle is in touch with his feminine side and has no problem driving a pink car.