Michael and I, each have different views, when it comes to the safety of certain products and foods that we bring into our home.

While I’m Mrs. Label Reader, Organic Wannabe, Non-Toxic Chemical Guru, OMGosh….DID YOU REALLY JUST FEED THEM FOOD….FROM A CAN – SAINT.

Micheal’s motto is if I ate it, drank it, or touched it, when I was little – and survived….they will too.

And then we have the same conversation…over and over.

Sure you survived, but think of how much longer you would have survived if you hadn’t come into contact with those foods and chemicals.

What?

I mean if your parents would have just taken a few extra minutes out of their day, to read the labels and stuff, your life span would have been longer.

I’M NOT DEAD!

All I’m saying is that they deprived you of life.

Still alive.

And it’s really such a shame AND a bit selfish on their part.

Are you serious…nevermind.

Evenflo has just released the Momentum 65 DLX Convertible Car Seat, with features that help make safety, installation and use as easy as possible for parents.  Evenflo and JuiceBoxJungle sponsored me to write this post, and talk about what child safety means to me and my family

Jordan: He’s not mine, mama.

Me: He is yours.

Jordan: He’s not.

Me: He is.

Jordan: {sigh}  He’s not.

Me: He has your eyes!

Jordan: He does not.

Me: Put him really close to your face and let me see.

Jordan: Okay…but he’s not mine.

Me: See! He looks EXACTLY like you.

Jordan: Well…I guess he is mine.

Roman: Mama, that’s not Jordan’s rabbit. He lost his. That’s my rabbit.

Jordan: SEE!

Me: I never said that he was 100% yours.

Me: So what’s going on kiddos? Anything exciting happen at school today?

Jordan: Lunch was dumb.

Tyler: I don’t have any homework.

Roman: I got a cookie.

Me: Jordan, lunch can not be dumb. Boring. But not dumb. Tyler, you do realize that I can go online and see your homework assignments, right? And Roman, that was really nice of your teacher to give you a cookie.

Roman: Can I eat my cookie in the car?

Me: {looks down at all the empty juice boxes and cookie wrappers.} I don’t see why not.

Roman: {takes the cookie out of the package and proceeds to place it in his mouth.}

Me: STOP!

Roman:  What’s wrong mama?

Me: Oh, nothing. I just need to stop the car for a moment. WHERE’S MY CAMERA? GOT IT! Ooohkay…AND ACTION! Sorry! I mean eat your cookie, now dear.

Roman: Okay.

Me: Just eat it very slooowly.

Roman: Like this?

Me: Yes. But could you not look at the camera, please?

Roman: Like this?

Me: Yes. But could you show more of the cookie, maybe?

Roman: Like this?

Me: Perfect! But do you think you have one more pose in you? Just. One. More. For the sake of the blog. That last shot was good, but with a little more angling, I think we could get…

Roman: Huh?

Spring started last week didn’t it? Granted I have noticed subtle changes in the weather, but to be honest, I’ve been buried deep into my own little world to really enjoy those changes. That’s okay. Summer is my favorite season. It’s when everything moves at a slow and steady pace. It’s when we…my family….can slow down for a bit. The lazy days and nights of Summer are what we live for. I long for nights when they’re suppose to be in bed sleeping, but really they’re doing this:

Summer can’t come fast enough.

Kyndle: I’ve decided to change my name.

Me: Oh, really? What’s your new name?

Kyndle: Kyndle.

Me: Um…isn’t that your old name?

Kyndle: No. My old name was Kyndle Alexis. I’m not Kyndle Alexis anymore. I’m just Kyndle.

Me: Actually, the only time we call you Kyndle Alexis is when you misbehave.

Kyndle: I know! That Kyndle Alexis is something.

Here are some unedited iPhone photos, of the the reactions I got from the twins, when I told them it was their birthday. Said reactions could have also been induced by a dancing mother. But we will never know, will we?

Eden:

I just don’t believe you.

Let me think about this for a moment.

Elijah:

I’m not falling for that.

I’m no longer listening to you.

For Christmas Roman had a simple gift request for me Santa Claus: BRING ME A GUITAR, PLEASE!

Why dear child, how could I Santa NOT grant your wish, and make ALL your musical dreams come true? Especially after the following promises were made in the back alley kitchen over a plate of Strawberry Pop Tarts and a Batman cup filled with Berry flavored Juicy Juice: I WILL PLAY MY GUITAR. I WILL TAKE CARE OF MY GUITAR. I WILL NOT LOSE MY GUITAR. MY GUITAR WILL BE MY FRIEND. THE END.

Handshake.

And so the story SHOULD end. Roman sitting on the staircase, slowly strumming his guitar, thinking of his future as the next Lenny Kravitz or Jimi Hendrix.

Oh, the good life.

But we all know that REAL dreams ARE NOT made of sugar and spice and all that’s nice.

That’s little girls.

Real dreams.

Little boy dreams – ARE made of mud pies and snakes.

Frogs and snails, and puppy-dogs tails.

AND.

Rusty handlebars and STRINGLESS GUITARS.

I hope that you’re enjoying your holidays, as much as we’re enjoying ours. This will be my last post of 2009. Till we meet again in 2010, my friends.

Roman: What did you and daddy get for Christmas?

Me: Happiness.

Roman: Oh, you can play with my guitar if you want.

Me: Thanks, but I’ll keep my happiness.

Roman: Where are you going to put your happiness?

Me: I’m going to put it on my face with a smile.  Like this. (I smile)

Roman: Oh, well did you ask Santa for a new toothbrush too?

Me: Um. No. Why?

Roman: Because don’t you want happy breath when you show people your happiness?

If ever asked, to describe my son Roman, with the name of a movie title, I would have to say Grumpy Old Men.

He is neither old or a man, (yet) but he sure is grumpy, very outspoken, and so darn cute!

I’ve heard whispers around town that he looks just like his mother! And nobody argues with the town folk who whisper. NOBODY.

Okay. Where was I? Oh! The cute, grumpy, outspoken Roman.

Did I ever tell you about the time I took Roman and Jordan to the library to checkout some books, when Roman sees a man with one leg, walks right up to him, shakes his hand, looks down at the missing leg and says, “SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!”

EXIT! EXIT! Where is the nearest exit? Or an invisibility cloak? EITHER WILL DO!

“I apologize profusely sir, and I’ll definitely have a chat with my sister’s son on manners.”

Anyway, the other morning, Roman and I, had the following conversation over breakfast:

Roman: “If you have one biscuit you’re somebody! Two biscuits you’re nobody!

Me: “What?”

Roman: {uses his fingers for demonstration purposes AND emphasis, because obviously I’m an idiot in need of a visual AND a hearing aid.} 1 BISCUIT- SOMEBODY! 2 BISCUITS- NOBODY!

Me: {because at this point I’m surely an idiot…I have to ask.} “Are you calling me a nobody?”

Roman: {silence}

Me: “…because I’m the ONLY person here in the kitchen with you AND I’m the only person who has TWO biscuits.”

Roman: {shrugs his shoulders and sighs, because he can’t believe someone of HIS intelligence has an idiot for a mother.}

Me: “Roman would YOU like another biscuit?”

Roman: {with glee in his eyes, because the idiot mother has caught on. What’s her IQ anyway?} “YES!”

Me: {talking to myself as all idiots do. It’s a requirement before you’re allowed to wear the “I’m an Idiot” tee.} “I guess now we BOTH can be two biscuit eating NOBODYS!

Roman: {looks at me with pity in his eyes as to say…} “NO.”

(Roman at age 3)