Family Traditions

With the onset of fall, it's the beginning of family tradition time for everyone.  And before I add my two cents on the topic, I have to give a major shout out to Bocephus, because you can't think of the term "family tradition" without sangin' this song in the back of your mind... 



... yep, a true-blue country song.  

Moving along... Me, personally, I'm not big on anything obligatory that comes with the fall and winter holidays.  I want to do things because we want to do them, not because we feel obligated to because we've always done them.  I want a purpose, not an obligation.

As such, my family's "traditions" consist of the simple things... 

Boo-ing the neighbors...
The boys have loved doing this in the past.  We fill a treat bag with goodies and then ding-dong-ditch the neighbors.  They get to open the door to a treat and then, unfortunately, have the obligation to return the favor to someone else!  We don't do this every year, but it's been something we've enjoyed doing in the past.  I found this one on Pinterest that's adorable!

Decorating for fall... 
I love the colors of fall.  The bright, vibrant yellows, pumpkin oranges, deep, rich reds, warm browns and shades of green and violet that peek up this time of year make me smile.  I love pumpkins everywhere.  I love the mums.  This picture absolutely epitomizes everything that I love about fall and is featured on Adventures in Decorating.

Pumpkin Patch...
We've been known to visit a pumpkin patch or two for some pictures... and pumpkins {DUH}... which ultimately result in some awesome jack-o-lanterns on our porch on Halloween.  I don't mean to brag, but I've been known to toast a mean pumpkin seed.

Starting to make soups, stews and chilis more often... 
I mentioned this yesterday.

Baking up a storm... 
I love baking up homemade breads, muffins, sweet breads, cookies, pies and treats.  I'll be sharing these goodies on the blog!

Sharing a delicious meal with family and friends on Thanksgiving...
One of my go-to "traditions" at Thanksgiving is that I use a king-sized sheet as a tablecloth and have everyone sign it.  Once the feast is over, the company is gone and the dogs have gobbled up the crumbs, the sheet gets washed.  After the new year, I grab my needle, embroidery thread and I stitch everything into the sheet permanently... signatures, prayers, blessings, "turkey" traced hand prints... you name it... permanently etched into my family's history of Thanksgiving.

and of course... 

...planning for the Christmas holidays!  I have lots of things in store for Christmas planners so stay tuned for all kinds of fun!

What are your fall family traditions?  

Come join in on the fun this month with the November Blogathon at The Mrs. and the Momma.

Is it chilly enough for CHILI?!

I live in Texas.  It's said we have two seasons.

Photo credit

While you may laugh at that... sadly, it's true.  Last Tuesday it was 92 degrees.  Two days later it was in the low 50s.  Apparently, in this part of the country, Mother Nature is experiencing menopause.  It's really quite annoying.  Someone throw a hormone patch on that chick, will ya?!

Seriously, though, I can't tell you how much I personally look forward to autumn.  This is for many reasons.  One of them is because most everyone can rock a pair of jeans in the cooler weather. I'm just not digging the short short shorts that seem to be part of the hotter weather fashion trend.  Call me crazy, but I'd rather see muffin tops in skinny jeans than cellulite in short, short (you-should-be-embarrassed-to-WEAR-those-in-public-and-SHAME-on-your-momma-for-buying-those) shorts.  

And secondly, it's because I LOVE soup, stew and chili weather!  Once we get even a hint of cooler weather, I'm ready for some CHILI!  It's no secret that I love to cook.  I was taught old school by my grandmother -- everything from scratch.  Therefore, generally speaking, my bolognese sauce, my chili, my-everything- was done from scratch.  However, once upon a time I stumbled into Central Market on a day where several vendors were there offering samples and lo and behold, I tasted a chili sauce that was JUST.LIKE.MINE!  Mind blown!

Why would I spend all day making chili sauce from scratch, when I could just buy a bottle of it?  And so begins my love affair with Cookwell & Company.  (You can buy it online, too!  You're welcome.)  

Online shopping will definitely come in handy because I swear at the first sign of cooler weather, the shelves containing these babies are BARREN... wiped clean... cleared out and then you curse Mother Nature for ruining your chili plans and you have to settle for beef stew and fresh cornbread instead!



You will see here this two-step chili mix in regular and spicy.  Having a 4-year-old means I don't do family meals as "spicy." So, if you want it that way at my house, you need to dress it up yourself. This also means, I haven't tried that one.  However, I just wanted you to see there are options!  Who doesn't like options?  Another awesome thing is that this mix is GLUTEN FREE!  (You'd be surprised how many places have gluten hidden in their foods!)

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. ground turkey, browned (or beef.. or bison)
1 can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can organic dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 jar Cookwell & Company chili mix
1 can diced, seasoned canned tomatoes (I use "chili" style, but you could use whatever you wanted)
freshly diced onion
grated cheese (your favorite, of course, we have no rules!)

Here's the hard part.  Directions.  Cook.  Dump.  Stir.  Simmer.  Serve.  Ha!  You see, once the meat is cooked, everything goes in the pot.  Simmer.  Stir. It couldn't get any easier!  

**Note:  I have substituted pinto beans for the great northern beans.  Whatever floats your boat!

My boys like it over Frito's (chili pie) and topped with onion and cheese.  I've eaten it over brown rice.  It's delicious all by itself.

And that, my friends, is my go-to recipe for fall!  What's yours?  Don't forget to link up in the November blogathon.

November Blog Challenge

Today's topic:  There are 30 days in November, so share 30 facts about yourself.
#NovemberBlogathon

1) I'm ultra low maintenance.  I don't understand the "why's" of extreme high maintenance.  I just don't get it.  I don't mean to say I don't take pride in my appearance, but I really don't care what anyone thinks of me so I feel no need to impress anyone.  Plus, the idea of sitting on my butt so often having my hair, nails, eyebrows, eyelashes, botox, this and that done just wears me out.  I can understand a treat now and then, but seriously, I haven't had a haircut... wow... yeah, see, I don't even remember the last time I had a haircut.  Baseball caps and ponytails are my signature!

2) I'm a Scouter... meaning I'm active in Cub Scouts and have a Boy Scout, too (though I'm not active in his Troop any longer).  Male egos really are something to laugh at.  I don't play politics either.  THe program should be about,for and because of the boys... any other reason and you really need to find a new hobby.

3) Boston Terriers are my thing.  I love rescue pups and have adopted two who turned out to be fantastic dogs, but I just love, love LOVE Boston terriers.

Photo Credit

4) I absolutely love to cook and would love to go to culinary school just to learn more than I do about food.

5) When I do laundry, if there are holes in anything, I trash it.  The men in my home often wonder where their socks have all disappeared to.  {looking around... I have NO idea... hmmmm...}

Photo Credit

6) I want to cut my hair but I hate the idea of it being short and having to fix it every.single.day.  Plus, I hate my hair in my face.  I have no idea how women can stand this crap.  I mean, the style is adorable and I love the curls... the color from light to dark is called "ombre" and it's super trendy.  However, it would drive me NUTSO having to look through those bangs so it's totally not worth it OR the amount of Aqua Net that would be required to render it immobile.

Photo from Pinterest

7) Sushi is not my thing.  I tried California rolls on my birthday about 15 years ago and... if we're being honest here -- my mouth is just too small to eat the whole thing in one bite.  I was told you don't take bites of sushi, but that you just EAT the whole thing at once.  No can do!  I felt like I was going to gag because my mouth was so full.  That wasn't an enjoyable experience.  I dug around a bit to find some sushi etiquette that states the same thing I was told.  Unless I've got a flip top head or a mouth like Steven Tyler, this girl is out on the sea weed and fish.

Photo Credit

8) I have Crohn's Disease.  I was only diagnosed in the last couple of years.  Thus, I'm still learning how to revamp my diet, lifestyle, world in order to do all I need to do and be healthy.  

9) I'm addicted to Pinterest.  Moreso than Facebook.  I would leave Facebook altogether if I had to pick between the two.  Click here to follow me!

10) I'm a 4.0 student who rarely had to study for much of anything... and really struggle with the feeling that I should be using my brain for more than meal planning, carpooling and party planning.

11) I have three boys who are all in very different stages of life.  I have a high school freshman who is a total jock.  I have a 4th grader who is a total nerd.  I have a preschooler who is a total pain in the butt.

12) I just started selling Thirty-One gifts because I absolutely love all of mine so much and know that they sell themselves.

Shop here

13) Saying that I was sick of the government over-regulating absolutely ever facet of our lives (from what kind of lightbulb we can have to how many miles per gallon our vehicles can get) really beats me down.  I'm neither Republican nor Democrat but I know that our country has NEVER been more divided than it has become and I think that the big cheese needs to own it as any leader should.  We need NO more Clintons OR Bushes in the White House.

Photo Credit

14) A Paleo-ish lifestyle is one that I'm learning to adopt.... I say "ish" because I will still continue to eat dairy to some degree (yogurt is my friend).

15) I love magazines... I love flipping through their glossy pages and tearing out new recipes and ideas but I just don't have time for them any longer and ended every single one of my subscriptions.  I don't like online magazines, however.  There's something about holding it in your hand that just suits me better.

16) If I had no responsibilities, I could stay in my jammies reading books all.day.long!  I love to read.

17) I love Batman.  George Cloony was the worst Batman ever.  Christian Bale's voice drove me nuts, however good he took on the persona, his voice was just stupid!

18) I would move back to Colorado in a heartbeat just to be near the mountains and have a view of Pike's Peak every morning like I used to.  

19) I hate driving a minivan.  I want a big ass extended length Expedition.

20) I'm not afraid of snakes, spiders or mice.  If you get me near something that flies, buzzes and stings I will LOSE MY SHIT and run around screaming like a girl with my arms flailing.  It's not pretty.

Photo Credit

21) Seinfeld was my favorite TV show ever.  I use references to that TV show on a daily basis.  

Photo Credit

22) I wish our country was as concerned about recycling and protecting the environment than they are.  People throw things away and then it's just gone to them... out of sight, out of mind.  But we just BURY our trash... ??? How is that a healthy way to protect our environment?  I just don't get why that's okay in any way, shape or form.

23) Starbucks... It took me a while to become an addict.  I mean... I'm 41 and just in the last year started drinking coffee.  However, I can't drink "coffee" coffee.  I drink iced coffee with more crap in it than should be allowed.  Iced coffee flavored sugar milk is more like it.  But, it's good.  I like it. Yay, I'm a grown up.

Photo Credit

24) I don't watch television.  I hate reality TV and the idea of just sitting down and wasting time WATCHING something where I give someone complete control over my imagination kills me.  I prefer to read, write or create so that I have total control over the complete creative process.

Photo Credit

25) I wish I knew how to build things... like with wood... using power tools.  I would feel like the ultimate badass if I did.  Until then, I'm a badass in training.

26) I have empty frames on the wall without pictures...and have...for a couple of years.  It's sad.  I need to print off photos but that means that I have to take the TIME to do it.  Apparently, it's not high on my priority list.  

27) I have little fingers.  Not as in the length of my fingers, but the size of my fingers.  My ring size is 4.75.  I can never find costume jewelry to fit me.

28) I would love to understand the step-by-step process to study my family's genealogy and wish I knew more about my lineage. 

Photo Credit

29) I like to sing.  Like.. A LOT!  Music is a very important part of my life.  I like a little bit of all genres.  I can pass on most rap, classical (it really puts me to sleep), and jazz, but I like just about anything else.  

Photo Credit

30) I have created an entire personal monthly calendar / schedule which could basically be a home keeping binder for busy moms to use.  This would help keep their entire life on track... household chores, exercise, nutrition, obligations, etc.  I'm tweaking my prototype a little at a time but hope to market next summer.

So, that's the 30 facts about me.  Join in the blog hop!  I'd love to read about you!

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween to all you boys and ghouls!

Halloween.  The day when mothers try to take credit for awesome costumes purchased on Etsy and we celebrate by sending our children around door to door begging for candy.

Truth be told, however, I LOVE Halloween!  It's fun to see how far my kids have come...

Benji, 2012

Carson, Benji, Drew and Hunter, 2011

Drew, 2010

Josh, 2010

Benji, 2010

Josh, 2009

Frightfully yours, 

I shaved my legs as the Royals lost the World Series... and other nonsense

Yesterday was a bunch of randomness... busy day doing nothing.  I was present as the handyman retextured the upstairs bathroom ceiling... this was caused by the "Great Water Heater Episode" bedack in late September.

Around two-thirty, I picked up Benji.  Good report at school.  (This means, he hadn't hit anyone.)  Bonus.  You think I'm kidding.  I'm not.

I drive towards the elementary school.  I listen intently as Benji sang nonsense nonstop as we jettisoned toward the carpool lane.  My friend Manny likes to call me "super carpool mom."  I'm not sure if it's an insult or a compliment, but it is what it is.  No, I don't wear a tie.

Photo Credit

I scoop up one kiddo.  Immediately the annoyance began.  Channel changing.  Screaming.  Whines.  Punches.  Did I mention that around Drew, Benji ONLY speaks "Whinese" and it DRIVES... ME... BAT... SHIT... CRAZY!  He doesn't even know how to carry a proper conversational tone, he only whines... Drew loves this.  I think they're trying to send me to the psycho ward... then they'll start on their father and eventually take over the world one Pokemon card at a time!

And then it happens.  Just as soon as Drew plants his glutes in the seat, I get, "What's for dinner?" 

It's 3:00 p.m. and he's asking me what's for dinner.  

If you know me, not that you do, but if you did, you know that I'm a planner.  You would think I would have a plan.  Usually, I have a plan.  This week, I don't.  I mean, I didn't get the title "super carpool mom" for nothin'!

You know, something else... EVERY.SINGLE.NIGHT. before bed -- EVERY NIGHT -- he asks me what's for breakfast.  It wouldn't be such an issue but if I have to wake him up in the morning because he just happens to wake up, walk across the room, shut off his alarm, get back in bed, and go back to sleep..... he asks me again.  I'm thinking it's one of those things that he's just in the habit of saying so he just asks it.  

I know that I should be the good June Cleaver mom (showing my age here, aren't I?  If you don't know who she is, you're young... enjoy it!) So, I should be the doting, ever patient, matriarch who answers lovingly, "Why dear, you know, I just haven't decided yet.  Why not get a good night's sleep and the delicious aromas will waft up the stairs in the morning and awaken you from your peaceful slumber."  

Photo credit

But I'm like... "Dude, I don't know.... go to bed. MUAH!  Night!"

So, this afternoon when he asks me what's for dinner, I just give him the "Are you serious, Clark?" look and continue driving to the middle school to scoop up one of our carpool kiddos and head for home.  If you don't know the "You serious, Clark?" look... refresh your memory.  It's a constant source of laughter in our home.



On the way home, he asks again about dinner and so I tell him that because he has baseball practice, it's nothing fancy:  sausage, Halloween mac and cheese, pears, cucumbers, fresh cornbread.  That seems to satisfy his curiosity - for the moment.

Detox for about an hour and then head back to the school to scoop up an athlete.  He hobbles out wearing a bag of ice on his hip.  Nice.  I could write an entire dissertation on why I think high school pushing athletes to compete, run and go all out when they're clearly injured is STUPID, but that's a rant for another day.  Some things you can't "push through" because HEY JACKASS... MY SON IS HURT.  But yeah.  I won't go there right now.  They don't care.  I do.  They don't.  Grrrrrr

I do get to exchange pleasantries with one of my best friends, Jennifer, and give her a hug before her surgery (taking place today).  That was one of the best parts of the day.  Truth!

I drop off an extra athlete at his home (mom favors, we are all awesome!), head to the house and give Drew exactly 6 minutes to get ready for baseball practice.  Benji decides HE wants to go and starts putting on his shoes... without socks... on the wrong feet.  

When I explain that he won't get to stay and play because he needs a good night's sleep ... much to his chagrin... because his Halloween party was the next at school, he promptly threw his shoes in the pile and declared he was staying home with Josh.  

Photo credit

(Oh, hey, Josh, watch Benji for me while I run Drew to practice!  Mkay?  Mkay!)

Drew is my source of ADD randomness.  The man-child is Cliff Claven incarnate (again, if you don't know Cliff, your childhood must have sucked).  

Photo credit

As we are driving down the road to baseball practice he asks me, "Mom, you know how you said earlier you were going to make Halloween macaroni and cheese?"  

"Yes?'  I reply.

"How do you make **Halloween** macaroni and cheese?" (major emphasis on the Halloween)

"Ummm.... like I always make your macaroni and cheese."

"What makes it Halloween macaroni and cheese?  What do you put in it?"

Finally understanding where he's coming from, I tell him that it's just regular macaroni and cheese but the pasta is shaped like ghosts and pumpkins and stuff.  Then I ask, "Why?  What did you think that Halloween macaroni and cheese was?"

"I thought you'd put stuff in it."

"Like what?  What would you put in macaroni and cheese to make it Halloween macaroni and cheese?"

He thinks for a second and then questioningly replies, "sprinkles?"

I sat at the red light and contemplated that for a second and looked him square in the eye and just said, "ewwww."

His only response was a gut busting laugh.

Hey, Kraft, if you put sprinkles in, we want a cut!  Ya here?  Drew thought of it first!

I dropped, ran, returned, cooked.  Everyone filled their plates and then began the great after supper kitchen clean.  Bleh.  Kenmore really needs to invent a self-cleaning kitchen!

Then, it starts... the final game of the WORLD SERIES!  Exciting stuff, right?  The previous game was a complete shut out by the Royals.  

That's a good thing.  Why?  Because I was rooting for Kansas City.  

Not because I'm a Royals fan, but since they haven't been in a World Series game since 1985.  Frankly, I think they were due.  

Plus, Drew plays for the Dodgers, and they and the Royals both wear blue... (I'm reaching here.  Work with me.)

and I like that song... Royals...



That's a good enough reason to root for them, right?  Well, and I'm from Texas and we have the Rangers and that starts with an "R" so it all makes perfect sense now.

(and I have to throw this in there because I hold no punches!  ha!  That's my Rangers!)

But, honestly, my reasoning is mostly because I really don't like much of anything that has much of anything to do with any California sports teams... other than the Dodgers...

but that's just because I support my son...

as he happens to play on the Dodgers...

but make no mistake, it's the KELLER LA Dodgers that I support... not the "LA" Dodgers.  

Anyway, back to the game... It was a 3-2 game going into the 8th.  SanFran was winning. I was getting nervous so I did what any normal person would do at 10pm.  I took a shower.  I can't stand what games like that do to my nerves!  I'm not cut out for this.  Just make things a shut out or at LEAST more than a one run lead so you don't stress me out over it all already!

But... I couldn't leave it alone, I had the SportsCenter app up on my phone and was watching the play-by-play.  While I was in the shower.  Well, I mean, the phone wasn't in the shower with me, but it was on the ledge right out the door... which I kept opening to keep the screen from going to sleep.

Royals were last at bat.  

I couldn't STAND IT and was like...forget it so I just decided to shave my legs since it's not full time yoga pants weather yet here in Texas.  

(Just kidding, the never looks like that.  I'm not an albino!)

Anyway, back to the game... The run to tie it up was on 3rd base

Two outs... 

aaaaaaand, they lost.  (Insert sad face here.)

But, my legs are smooth and that counts for something, right?

I won't lie.  I solaced myself by breaking into the Milk-Duds.  Yay for Halloween candy that my kid with braces can't eat!

There's always next year... and the Rangers as far as baseball.  But well, yeah, there's also the Cardinals.  Cardinals football.  Not Arizona.  I'm talking high school football and certainly not MLB from Missouri.  

Not that there's anything wrong with that (and I'll say lots of prayers for you if you don't know that reference because you really have had a sad existence to miss the pure comedic genius of that show.)

Howl at the Moon

When I was nine years old, my dad took me, my sister, his girlfriend and her kids to the movies.  Sweet huh?  In theory, sure.  In reality, notsomuch.  I was taken to see... The Howling.  

Before we delve into the creepy factor, I have to address the blatantly obvious "you were not old enough to be in an R-rated movie" or perhaps the "that was not appropriate for children your age" or maybe even the "what an irresponsible dad you must have had" crap!  

I will agree that you are right.  Not only was I not old enough to be in an R-rated feature film but it also contained content that was not appropriate for an adolescent my age.  I'll be completely honest, however, I loved the horror genre.  That notwithstanding, it was still highly inappropriate.  I can still vividly remember the nudity and sex scenes.  Folks, I'm 41... I was 9 when it came out.  Do the math.  Parents, do NOT act like these things don't "stick" with your children... they DO!  They'll remember... they'll remember the nudity... the sex... the violence.  There are some things they simply can not "un" see.  Once the damage is done, it's done.... However, my dad wasn't irresponsible... just made a bad judgment call.  Live and learn.  

...but I digress.  Let's talk about the creepy factor.

Simply stated -- this movie scared the shit out of me.  Granted, like I said, I loved the horror genre. As a kid, I used to watch horror and sci-fi movies with my grandmother's brother, Uncle Leon.  He liked them too.  He used to call ANYTHING weird from either genre "voodoo" movies.  We had a time.  For me, the creepier, the better... but something about that movie really scared me to death.  I mean, I slept with a flashlight for MONTHS after... 

... with the bathroom light on

... and I probably would have had a revolver full of silver bullets if I were given the option... 

... stored in a box of garlic... 

... that had been blessed with Holy Water.

And you know that a film has topped your creep factor when long after it's gone from the theaters it's still fresh in your mind.  

You see, my best friend, Shannon, lived 5 houses up the street from me. This meant that from time to time, I had to walk home from her house... 

after dark... 

alone.... 

Are ya following me here?  (Yeah, I thought you were, too, and that's why half the time I would RUN!)

You see this short journey home was far worse in the fall when the ground was covered with dried leaves.  We lived in an established neighborhood FULL of mature trees.  Once fall had crept in, yards were covered with them.  These were deep blankets of leaves... the kind you could rake into a pile  and jump in.  We didn't have lawn crews bagging everything up and blowing it all into the street to be carried away with traffic.  We had the yards that everyone played in... covered in a crispy blanket of terror!  

You see, those leaves -- while fun to play in during the day -- made me fear for my LIFE when I was walking home at night.

I had always been told that your senses become more acute when one of them has been removed... so think... nighttime... dark... moonless... alone... walking.... and then... the rustle of leaves... which obviously meant that a werewolf was about to attack and so you would RUN RUN RUN HOME as fast as you can!  If I ever heard a rustle (which was probably from a neighborhood cat running away FROM ME), I would run so hard because I knew that if I had turned around (like those idiots in the movies) I would have tripped and I would have been a gonner.  I know the werewolves would have been chasing me down Woodoak Drive.

With Halloween upon us this Friday, I'm thinking we'll stray from the macabre and watch Hocus Pocus instead after binging on candy corn.  

R2 Deeter

Last week at the boy's school was the Scholastic book fair.  We attended it the night of Open House. It was a great distraction for Benji who was pretty much done with the presentation of the 3rd grade's pioneer projects about half a nanosecond after he entered the room.  While I'm not a big proponent of these book fairs (primarily because I am not a fan of paperback books), I *am* a fan of (almost) anything that gets kids excited about reading.  (For instance, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, while it may be a good book, it's more of a comic strip to me.  Drew waited with baited breath for the next book in the series to be released and then the next one and he would devour them in about thirty minutes... but that's not true quality 'reading material' in my opinion -- it's fluff.)

However, by Benji attending the book fair, I was afforded the opportunity to peruse the various displays set up by Drew's classmates and hear their oral presentations on their chosen topics.  It was amazing to see and hear all the hard word they put into these projects.  I heard all kind of reports on life in the early 1800s from being a cowboy to working in a mill and from running a general store to quilting and toys.

That was short lived, however, because soon Benji was back with his loot.  Once we were in the car on the way home, he wanted to read his new books.  Part of his new book bounty was a hardback (yay) book from Lego Star Wars.  [insert geekish mom grin here]

You see, much to my delight, over the last several weeks Benji has eeked into the the Star Wars phase of wonder and amazement.  He is completely enamored with Lord Vader.  So much so that I'm teaching him to say, "Come to the dark side.... we have cookies" to his older brothers.

Photo credit

He has even sat still long enough to enjoy part of Return of the Jedi.  The story line is, obviously, quite over his head, although he does ask questions so it has piqued his interest.  However, right now, I'm just enjoying the fact that he loves it!  Fast forward to last night... he was stalling getting ready for bed at the bookshelf.  He would pull out a book from the two or three shelves containing his books and decide that wasn't "the one" and slowly push it back.  After about the tenth one, as I impatiently stood there waiting for him to find "the one," I remembered that I had moved ALL of our Star Wars books over to another shelf.  I pulled out this little gem... and that was all she wrote!  Bingo!  Ding!  Ding!  Ding!  Winner winner chicken dinner!

Not only did we have a winner, but also, during the course of reading it, he proclaimed "I love this book.  It's my favorite." He flipped through each page stopping only to ask for help identifying characters or words he wasn't familiar with.  Initially, he wanted to read it to me but only "if you cwal up on my bed."  I leaned on the wall by his headboard as he opened the first page of this board book with complete excitement.  He just knew this was going to be a fantastic book.  It was pure delight for me to watch him take in everything on each page as he continued.  "A" is for Anakin.  "B" is for... Boba Fett (he knew this one).  "C" is for C3P0... and we proceeded through the alphabet.  Then you get to C's little buddy and yes, my friends, that is where "R2 Deeter" comes into play.  I love his Benji-isms.  I have to capture this on video, but in the event I'm unable to, I have this little nugget saved right here for eternity.  "W" is for "shew-baka."  We explained he is a wookie but his name is Chewbacca.  

The full genuine smile painted on his face was enough to make my heart burst.  It was a good day.  These are the moments that I truly love the little person he's becoming more and more.